Rapid transit system

ABSTRACT

A car and track arrangement wherein said tracks have certain monorail sections above ground and certain standard track sections on the ground (and below ground) and said cars incorporate bogie constructions adaptable for engagement with one or each of said sections for smooth transition from one to the other.

C United States Patent 1191 1111 3,808,979 Brown May 7, 1974 RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM 3,225,704 12/1965 Gilvar et al.....: 104/130 [76] In ento Francis L. Brown, 92 0 w Chester 2,977,892 4/1961 Ihmlg l04/I3O Pik N w Y k, NY. 19082 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Filed y 12 1972 15,806 8/1906 Great Britain 104/130 [21] Appl. No.: 271,176 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant ExaminerKenneth Noland [52] U S Cl 104/131 104/105 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John J. Byrne [51] Int. Cl ..E01b 25/10 58 Field of Search 104/33, 32, 131, 130, 105; [57] ABSTRACT 5 5 A car and track arrangement wherem said tracks have certain monorail sections above ground and certain [5 References Cited standard track sections on the ground (and below UNITED STATES PATENTS ground) and said cars incorporate bogie constructions adaptable for engagement with one or each of said 3 23932? 253? 3:3? $322 5 sections for smooth transition from one to the other. 3:590,743 7/1971 Larson 104/130 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 11914 SHEEI 1 [1F 4 PATENTEDm 71924 I 3808L979 SHEET 2 OF 4 ,lZO 20-l\ l RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM Society has become increasingly aware of the necessity to provide mass transit facilities to meet the demands of population growth, to reduce traffic congestion in densely populated areas and to reduce the pollution hazard resulting from the excess of privately owned automobiles. For several decades, large cities throughout the world have sought the solution of providing fast and efficient mass transportation which can be economically integrated into existing transportation systems. For practical considerations, the mass transit systems actually built are based on typical railroad design although most authorities first consider a variety of ingenious monorail and dual track proposals.

In almost all systems, for reasons too numerous to discuss here, an efficient transit system must include both elevated ground and/or below ground route sections. A principal objective of this invention is to provide a coordinated transit system which includes elevated sections and ground level sections. For purpose of description, this specification will utilize the term ground-level to include both ground level and below ground constructions. This is done because the track and bogie systems are the same in both of these environments and transition is effected automatically without reduction in speed or loss of adaptability to either arrangement.

Engineers and transportation experts are very familiar with rail systems engaged by flanged, steel wheels. The advantages and limitations of this construction are well known and familiar. It is also known that such construction can meet the requirements of acceleration, braking, noise and durability which must be met for any transportation system. Therefore, a principal objective of this invention is to provide a system which incorporates steel wheels and steel rails in a manner which does not limit the use of elevation and ground level transit networks.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a bogie assembly for the transit cars which can be utilized with existing cars and with newly designed cars.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a series of transit cars moving from an elevated monorail system and approaching a standard dual track, ground level section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a series of transit cars making the transition;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the bogie assembly utilized in FIG. 2 having the upper wheels thereof engaged with the elevated portion of the transit system;

FIG. 4 is a view along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a bogie assembly for use with newly constructed transit cars;

FIG. 6 is a view along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a bogie framework; and

FIG. 7a is a diagrammatic view of a stationary wheel supporting means.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 10 refers to the transit system of this invention. The system includes standard, ground level tracks 12 and an elevated section 14 having a sloping section 16 which terminates the elevated portion near the track 12 at point 18. The transit cars are indicated by the numeral 20 and their supporting bogies are indicated by the numeral 22.

The ground-level tracks are conventional and include a first pair of rails 24 and 26 which are secured to ties 28 in a conventional fashion. The elevated portion of the system includes a plurality of piers 30 which can be of reinforced concrete or of steel. The piers 30 support a monorail 32. The monorail 32 can be of steel or prestressed concrete. The monorail is generally l-shaped, having an upright portion 34 and a support portion 36 upon which a second pair of rails 38 and 40 are supported.

A bogie assembly which spans adjacent cars is 'shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is indicated by the numeral 22. The bogie 22 includes a framework 44 having a pair of top beams 46 and 48 which interconnects a front member 50 and a rear member 52. The front member has downwardly depending legs 54 and 56 and the rear member 52 has downwardly depending legs 58 and 60. Mounted interiorly of the beams 46 and 48 are beam engaging wheels 62, 64, 66 and 68. The journal boxes for the axles of each of these wheels is indicated by the numeral 70. The wheels are horizontally spaced so as to have their peripheries engage the rails 38 and 40 with their flanges along the inner surfaces thereof. Mounted respectively on legs 54, 56, 58 and 60 are wheels 72, 74, 76 and 78. The axles of these wheels are journaled in boxes, all of which are indicated by the numerals 80. The wheels are spaced so that their peripheries engage the rails 24 and 26 with their flange surfaces falling interiorly thereof. Extending longitudinally between legs 54 and (not shown) is a beam 82 (not shown) and extending longitudinally between legs 56 and is a beam 84 parallel to 82. These beams supply a rigidity to the bogie and provide a mount for journals 86 and 88 respectively. Journals 86 and 88 respectively, support axles 90 and 92 of stabilizer wheels 94 and 96. The stabilizer wheels engage the sides of the uprights 34 immediately below support section 36. The

' stabilizer wheels can have rubber tires and it should be noted that they are disposed above the lower edges of wheels 72, 74, 76 and 78 and below the lower edges of wheels 62, 64, 66 and 68. It is important that the stabilizer wheels are securely mounted for traction with the monorail. In FIG. 7 the journals 86 and 88 are shown affixed to frame 84. A plurality of air springs are disposed between the framework 44 and a platform 102 to which the cars 20 are secured. As seen in FIG. 3 the cars are interconnected by way of a conventional linkage 104. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the bogie 44 supports the rear end of one car and the front end of another car.

As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 a bogie can also be built utilizing the invention wherein a single bogie supports each end of a car. Numerals with a prime mark attached are indicated to show parts corresponding to the parts of the first embodiment. In particular, it can be seen in this unit that the air springs are enclosed midway of the framework 44'.

The bogie units are substantially the same, except for the of the smaller wheels 62, 64, 66 (not shown) and 68. Again the upper wheels are spaced inwardly of the lower wheels and the stabilizing wheels are above the rail engaging edge of the lower wheel and below the rail engaging edge of the upper wheel. The air springs in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 are mounted midway of the framework and a bogie is mounted at either end of each car 20.

In FIG. 7a another method of supporting the stabilizer wheels is shown. Here a heavy casting supporting brace 1 10 is rigidly affixed to, and extends between, the frame members 48 and 84. The wheel 96 is supported in a yoke 112. The arm 114 of yoke 112 is the piston member of a hydraulic cylinder 116 which is securely welded to brace 110. This construction provides a strong and rigid supporting means for the stabilizing wheels and also permits pressure to be exerted against the monorail for improved operation.

The invention has its greatest usefulness at the area of transition between the terminating sloping section 16 and the ground level track 24. Here, as the train approaches the ground level tracks, the lower leading wheels 72 and 74 will engage the rails 24 and 26 and as this engagement is made the support of the cars will be taken by the lower wheels as the upper wheels 62 through 68 are lifted from the monorail system.

In a general manner, while there has been disclosed effective and efficient embodiments of the invention, it should be well understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiments as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of the parts without departing from the principal of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A transit system comprising in combination,

a track network having a first track section supported at ground level and including a first pair of parallel rails, a second track section, an upright means for supporting said second track section above ground level, said upright means is a monorail beam having an upper support section for carrying a second pair of parallel rails and an intermediate sectionbelow said upper support section and at substantially right angles to it, said first set of rails being spaced at a greater distance from one another than said second set of rails, said second track section having a sloping section terminating at a level adjacent said first section,

a plurality of cars adapted to traverse said track network,

a bogie assembly for supporting said cars on said network, said assembly comprising a framework attached to the lower portion of said cars, a first pair of 1 flanged wheels rotatably supported on said framework and horizontally spaced for engagement with said rails of said first section, a second pair of flanged wheels rotatably supported on said framework vertically disposed above said first pair of wheels and horizontally spaced for engagement with said rails of said second section, and

a pair of rotatable stabilizer means supported by said framework, said stabilizer means having an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said first and second pair of wheels and being adapted to contact said intermediate section of said upright means at a point vertically below said second pair of wheels but vertically above the lowest point on said first pair of wheels,

whereby said second pair of wheels will disengage said second rails and said first pair of wheels will engage said first rails as said cars move from said sloping section to said first section.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said second pair of wheels have a diameter substantially less than said first pair of wheels.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second pair of wheels are steel and said first and second pairs of rails are steel.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein a first bogie assembly supports a first end of one of said cars and a second bogie assembly supports the second end of said cars.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said bogie assemblies support one end of one of said cars and the adjacent end of another of said cars.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said monorail beam has an l-shaped cross section.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said rotatable stabilizer means comprise a set of pneumatic tires. 

1. A transit system comprising in combination, a track network having a first track section supported at ground level and including a first pair of parallel rails, a second track section, an upright means for supporting said second track section above ground level, said upright means is a monorail beam having an upper support section for carrying a second pair of parallel rails and an intermediate section below said upper support section and at substantially right angles to it, said first set of rails being spaced at a greater distance from one another than said second set of rails, said second track section having a sloping section terminating at a level adjacent said first section, a plurality of cars adapted to traverse said track network, a bogie assembly for supporting said cars on said network, said assembly comprising a framework attached to the lower portion of said cars, a first pair of flanged wheels rotatably supported on said framework and horizontally spaced for engagement with said rails of said first section, a second pair of flanged wheels rotatably supported on said framework vertically disposed above said first pair of wheels and horizontally spaced for engagement with said rails of said second section, and a pair of rotatable stabilizer means supported by said framework, said stabilizer means having an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said first and second pair of wheels and being adapted to contact said intermediate section of said upright means at a point vertically below said second pair of wheels but vertically above the lowest point on said first pair of wheels, whereby said second pair of wheels will disengage said second rails and said first pair of wheels will engage said first rails as said cars move from said sloping section to said first section.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said second pair of wheels have a diameter substantially less than said first pair of wheels.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first and second pair of wheels are steel and said first and second pairs of rails are steel.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein a first bogie assembly supports a first end of one of said cars and a second bogie assembly supports the second end of said cars.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein one of said bogie assemblies support one end of one of said cars and the adjacent end of another of said cars.
 6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said monorail beam has an I-shaped cross section.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said rotatable stabilizer means comprise a set of pneumatic tires. 